


Temerate

by AllegoriesInMediasRes



Series: Mary I of England: Truth, the daughter of time [29]
Category: 16th Century CE RPF, Historical RPF, The Tudors (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Historically Accurate, Oneshot, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Sister-Sister Relationship, Stepmother-Stepdaughter Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:54:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23870410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllegoriesInMediasRes/pseuds/AllegoriesInMediasRes
Summary: 1542. Howard women have been the bane of Mary Tudor’s life. From Anne Boleyn, to Kathryn Howard, and now her own sister Elizabeth.Oneshot.
Relationships: Catherine Howard & Elizabeth I of England, Elizabeth I of England & Mary I of England
Series: Mary I of England: Truth, the daughter of time [29]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/715194
Comments: 4
Kudos: 34





	Temerate

**Author's Note:**

> For anonymous on Tumblr, who asked “For the words ask: Mary I and Elizabeth I for Temerate (meaning to break a promise”)?”

Howard women have been the bane of Mary’s life.

Anne Boleyn, a spiteful reformer who fractured Mary’s family forever and made her mother’s last years unbearable.

Katherine Howard, a child who is as prideful as she is graceless. She was affronted that Mary did not hold her in as high esteem as she did Queen Jane and Queen Anne (of Cleves), and had dismissed two of Mary’s maids as punishments. Mary had been compelled to grovel at Kitty Howard’s feet to have her ladies reinstuted.

And now Elizabeth is shunning her. With the Queen, Edward, her governess, her own ladies, Bessie is talkative and lively, but whenever Mary is around, she falls into silence.

 _Howard women_ , Mary thinks again, although such a thought is unfair to Elizabeth. Elizabeth, at least, is still young and possesses a child’s innate goodness. So Mary coaxes Elizabeth into a walk around the gardens, with their ladies trailing a distance behind, out of earshot, and asks her gently, “Elizabeth, sister, you have been avoiding me. Why?”

Elizabeth is quiet, but out of contemplation, not reticence. Mary is content to wait for her answer until Elizabeth asks, “Why were you so rude to the Queen?”

Mary sighs. _Not you as well._

“The Queen and I have resolved our argument, and it is no concern of yours.”

“Yes, but – why did you antagonize her in the first place? She is beautiful and kind and gracious, and I cannot imagine why you should not like her.”

Mary is tempted to point out Queen Katherine’s many failings that Elizabeth’s youth blinds her to, but she knows it is of no use. Elizabeth and her new stepmother are very close, and Mary also does not want to say things Elizabeth might repeat.

Elizabeth glances away. They are nearing the central fountain, and Elizabeth prefers to focus on its little jets of water as she continues to speak. Her voice drops half an octave. “I remember when Aunt Anna came to England to become the Queen, and you told me I must be very respectful of her. I must not do anything to give her offense.”

Mary remembers that talk well. Elizabeth had been six, almost at the age of reason, and this was one of the most momentous occasions of her short life. While they would have to be respectful of any woman their father married, Anne of Cleves was a royal princess, and respecting her was doubly important.

Elizabeth looks back at her. “I was respectful to Aunt Anna while she was Queen of England, so surely we should be just as polite to Queen Katherine. You yourself told me. Why would you be so rude to her?”

Elizabeth’s question is both plain and plaintive, and suddenly Mary cannot deny the truth in it. Even Chapuys thought she had overstepped.

Elizabeth twists her hands, looking away again. “It was not right and – our lord father would have been angry as well – what if he had – I would not – I would not see you out of favor with him.”

Her words come out faster and faster, the last ones in a rapid rush, and _oh_ , there it is, the real truth behind Elizabeth’s distance. Mary had been wrong to interpret it as indignation on Queen Katherine’s behalf or distaste towards Mary.

No, it is _fear_ for Mary, fear of what consequences Mary could have incurred by courting the Queen’s displeasure, and by extension, the King’s.

And who better than Elizabeth to know the price that their father’s displeasure can exact?

“Oh, Bessie.” Mary sweeps her up in an embrace, and Elizabeth wraps her arms around Mary so tightly it takes her breath away.

“You have nothing to worry about.” She smooths Elizabeth’s hair. “Queen Katherine is very new to court, while I am not, and we simply had a misunderstanding. I have my maids back, and she and the King have both agreed that I may reside permanently at court. She is not angry with me, anymore, and neither is Father.”

“Don’t anger her or Father again,” Elizabeth says, her words against her sister’s dress, and Mary smiles.

“Of course I won’t, sweet one.”

“No.” Elizabeth draws back. Her black eyes are wide and her face is uncharacteristically serious. “ _Promise_ me you will not. I could not bear it if you do.”

Mary nods, solemnly. “I promise, Elizabeth. For your sake, if nothing else, I swear to you.”


End file.
